Karis Davidson moves into Australian Women's Amateur Quarters

VICTORIA, Australia (January 20, 2017) -- The Women’s Australian Amateur Championship, presented by Swinging Skirts, has a distinctly Korean flavor after all six of the powerhouse nation’s representatives won Round of 16 matches this afternoon at Yarra Yarra Golf Club. It left just Queenslander Karis Davidson and New Zealand’s Chantelle Cassidy to fight on against a country that has taken women’s golf to a level never before seen around the world – both on amateur and professional levels. Davidson was solid in taking out Indonesia’s Inez Beatrice Wanamarta 4&3 this afternoon despite battling the occasionally vicious Melbourne elements as well. Cassidy took down Japan’s Riri Sadoyama 3&2. But the day belonged to the Koreans. Medallist Hye-jin Choi was pushed to 2&1 by Japan’s Yuna Nishimura, but Ga-young Lee, Seo-yun Kwon, Hyun-kyung Park and So-mi Lee were all comfortable winners. The best effort against the Koreans’ might probably came from Victorian Montana Strauss who was a surprise early leader against Eun Jeong Seong. But the U.S. Women’s Amateur champion eventually subdued The National member 3&1 after a great tussle through the middle holes. Queenslander Dee Dee Russell was made to pay for some early bogeys and couldn’t regain momentum as her birdies were cancelled by the dangerous Park, who next faces Cassidy in the quarter-finals. Davidson will take on new Kingswood course record holder Lee, whose best this week has been sublime but not always on tap. The quarter and semifinals will be played on Saturday.